College Football 2011: Power Ranking the Toughest Schedules in the SEC
Over the past several years, the SEC has been the king of college football.
With five straight BCS titles from four different schools, the conference is certainly at its apex.
And if recent history tells us anything, it's that an SEC school will be playing for another national championship this season.
The question is: Who will it be?
Well, it's no secret that some SEC teams have tougher roads to the title game in 2011, so let's take a look at which squads will have to fight, scratch and claw their way to get there.
12. Vanderbilt Commodores
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After finishing last in the SEC East in 2010 (2-10 overall, 1-7 in conference play), things aren't going to get any easier for Vanderbilt in 2011.
Though the Commodores open with powder puff Elon, they have to go on the road to face South Carolina (Sept. 24) and Alabama (Oct. 8) in consecutive games. Ouch.
Vanderbilt also has to face Georgia and Arkansas at home and Florida and Tennessee on the road later in the year.
After ranking 112th in points scored and 94th in points allowed last season, any schedule would probably be tough for the Commodores, though.
11. Kentucky Wildcats
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Kentucky must have wanted to rack up wins in non-conference play, because the Wildcats take on Western Kentucky, Central Michigan and Jacksonville State outside of its SEC slate.
But that doesn't mean the Wildcats are going to be headed to a bowl game.
The Wildcats have a three-week span (Sept. 24 to Oct. 8) in which they take on Florida at home and LSU and South Carolina on the road.
Then, Kentucky will still have to play Mississippi State, Georgia and Tennessee by season's end.
A 2-4 record in those games might be wishful thinking.
10. Georgia Bulldogs
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Georgia will be thrown into the fire right away this season, as the Bulldogs take on Boise State in the Georgia Dome to kick off the season before taking on South Carolina at home the following week.
What a way to start off 2011, huh?
Well, the Bulldogs will also take on Mississippi State, Florida and Auburn at home before finishing the season on the road at Georgia Tech.
Though Georgia's schedule does look difficult, the Bulldogs catch a break by having all but one of their tough games—on paper at least—in their home state.
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9. South Carolina Gamecocks
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Non-conference games against East Carolina, Navy and Clemson—three bowl teams from last season—will keep South Carolina on its toes all season.
But the Gamecocks actually have one distinct advantage with their schedule: They'll avoid Alabama and LSU.
Other than that, though, it's not like South Carolina's playing cupcakes.
The Gamecocks will play Georgia, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Tennessee on the road, while also playing Auburn and Florida at home.
8. Mississippi State Bulldogs
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Mississippi State is another SEC school whose out-of-conference schedule won't provide much chance for an upset.
But in-conference play is a whole different story.
The Bulldogs play at Auburn and against LSU in the second and third week of the season respectively before taking on Georgia (on the road) and South Carolina in October and Alabama and Arkansas (on the road).
Dan Mullen's crew is a sleeper pick in the SEC West, but they better not fall asleep.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide
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Kent State, North Texas and Georgia Southern? Alabama will win each of those games by 50 points-plus.
But the Crimson Tide will have its difficult stretches, taking on Penn State (on the road), Arkansas and Florida (on the road) in a four-week span early in the season.
Alabama will also play LSU at home and Mississippi State and Auburn on the road in November.
Nick Saban's squad better clean house if they want to be playing for another BCS title.
Of course, that's easier said than done, though.
6. Ole Miss Rebels
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Ole Miss opens the season against BYU, which could start the Rebels' season off on the wrong foot.
But a win there is absolutely crucial, because they'll play Alabama, Arkansas and at Auburn in three consecutive games before finishing the season with back-to-back games against LSU and at Mississippi State.
That means Mississippi will take on five of the SEC's tougher teams in a seven-week span.
Not to mention the Rebels also have Georgia and Kentucky on the menu.
5. Arkansas Razorbacks
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Arkansas opens up the season with games against Missouri State, New Mexico and Troy.
Yeah, seriously.
But the Razorbacks then play at Alabama, against Texas A&M (at Cowboys Stadium) and at home against Auburn before a difficult November, with South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi State at home followed up by a season-ending showdown in Death Valley against LSU.
How many wins can Arkansas realistically escape that schedule with? I guess we'll find out.
4. Florida Gators
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Florida Atlantic, UAB and Furman isn't exactly a rough non-conference slate, but the Gators need some games like that thanks to a brutal SEC schedule.
In October, the Gators face Alabama at home and LSU and Auburn on the road in three consecutive games before taking on Georgia in the Georgia Dome after a bye to finish off the month.
They then play at South Carolina (Nov. 12) and against Florida State to finish the season.
In other words, whoever created the schedules hates Florida.
3. Tennessee Volunteers
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Tennessee's non-conference schedule is nothing short of a joke, but Derek Dooley's young squad has a lot of work to do in SEC play.
The Volunteers have road games at Florida, Alabama and Arkansas, with home games against Georgia, LSU and South Carolina.
Just how tough is that gonna be? Pretty insane.
October will be a true gut check for Tennessee as the Volunteers take on Georgia, LSU, Alabama and South Carolina in four consecutive games.
2. Auburn Tigers
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Is this what Auburn gets for winning a national championship? Because its schedule is absolutely brutal.
By Oct. 22, the Tigers will already have played Mississippi State and Florida at home and Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas and LSU on the road.
But wait, it doesn't get any better.
In November, Auburn takes on Georgia on the road and Alabama at home to close out the season.
Back-to-back national championships for the Tigers? I highly doubt it.
1. LSU Tigers
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Of all the SEC teams, LSU could very well be the only one who faces two top-20 squads in non-conference play.
The Tigers have a huge season-opening showdown against Oregon in Cowboys Stadium and also play at West Virginia in their fourth game of the season.
Then, in conference play, LSU has road games against Mississippi State, Tennessee and Alabama and home games against Florida, Auburn and Arkansas.
Even though the Tigers will likely enter the season as a top-five team, something tells me Les Miles is gonna need a little more magic up his sleeves to get through the SEC's most difficult schedule.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
